The Comp Plan describes the planning challenges DC faces, pointing forward towards future solutions and policies and guiding the actions and decisions of district agencies. Here's what you should know about the first set of amendments. Keep reading…

Metro's entire system faced delays Thursday morning due to an IT glitch that caused the Rail Operations Control Center to lose contact with track switches. Will a new middle school entice more Ward 4 residents to stay in the District? A new study examines whether mayors actually back up public statements about addressing inequality with programs. Keep reading…

More people experience sexual assault on Metro trains and buses than you might think, and the victims are often women, trans people, and people of color. Metro just launched a new campaign to combat that, and it’s a great first step (but is just a step) toward a safer ride for everyone.
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About 11% of the region’s population has a limited understanding of English, and there are at least 26 language groups with more than 1,000 people. This map shows where the most populous groups live:
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Plea for hit-and-run; Sidewalk success; Give the people what they want; The social stoop; Forget the flag; Words were involved in an article-related incident; Metro systems by the numbers; And…. Keep reading…

Seven DC public schools and six charters teach children in not just one language, but two. It’s an approach that helps native and non-native English speakers, poor and affluent children alike, the latest research shows. But 13 schools are far from enough to meet the demand.
Children pick up languages very quickly. When you think about it, it’s quite an amazing feat… Keep reading…

“Smart Growth” is the idea that cities and regions should focus on growing in existing communities and near transit rather than in rural or fringe area. A colleague recently said he doesn’t hear the term as much as he used to, and wondered why that might be.
Perhaps Smart Growth’s proponents worry that people who get nervous about change will bristle… Keep reading…

Soon (though we don’t know when), streetcars will start carrying passengers in DC after five decades in exile. That brings up an interesting question: How do we spell this new (yet old) technology?
In our comments, most of you write “streetcar” when talking about DDOT’s program to bring the railed vehicles back. But others among you say “street… Keep reading…

Instead of “cyclists,” people biking. Instead of “accident,” collision. Instead of “cycle track,” protected bike lane. It can come off as trivial word policing. But if you want proof that language shapes thoughts, look no further than Seattle— where one of the country’s biggest bikelashes has turned decisively around in… Keep reading…

Companies like Uber and Lyft have often referred to their services as “ride-sharing.” But that’s not an accurate term. The Associated Press now agrees, and has banned the word for Uber-like services in its widely-used style guide. The better term, AP says, is “ride-hailing.”
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What should we call bike infrastructure that has a physical barrier between it and general traffic? 391 people voted in our poll about whether to call this a “cycletrack,” “protected bike lane,” or “separated bike lane.” “Protected bike lane” won a majority, but we were persuaded by a slight variant several people suggested:… Keep reading…

Those bicycle lanes with a physical barrier between the lane and other road users have been appearing around the region: 15th, L, and M streets NW and 1st Street NE in DC, Hayes Street in Arlington, and Woodglen Drive in White Flint. What should we call these?
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The other morning, a taxi making an illegal right turn on red prevented me from entering a crosswalk. There’s no term for that phenomenon, so I decided to coin one: I was “walkblocked.”
Living or working in cities, we often encounter events over and over that don’t have names. Here are a few that some of our contributors have named themselves, plus a few… Keep reading…

New lines for schools; The Tax Warrior II; A better tax option?; Too tired?; Was it “just an accident?”; Silver Line could get a date; Where the housing is affordable; No more secret meetings; Underground railroad. Keep reading…

Ben Ross has published a new book, Dead End: Suburban Sprawl and the Rebirth of American Urbanism. Greater Greater Washington will be reprinting a few excerpts from the book. Vicky Hallett also discusses the book in today’s Express.
Ross is giving a book talk on Tuesday, April 22nd, 5:30 pm at APTA headquarters, 1666 K Street NW. Afterward, GGW is cosponsoring a happy hour… Keep reading…